The Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics takes forward much of the work previously carried out by the Supply and Demand sub-committee of the Forestry Commission’s Advisory Panel.

The Group works on compiling information on the supply and demand of timber and forest products. It covers forecasts, surveys of forest removals, and the volumes delivered and processed by the primary industries.

The Group considers information needs in new areas, including the developing wood-fuel markets, forest certification, industry, manpower and machinery resources, and international trade statistics and impact of imports.

The Group examines the models and conventions used to generate some of the statistics and the research programmes that support improvement of the models. Care is taken to avoid duplication of timber and trade statistics from current sources such as the UKFPA and regular reports in the forestry press.

Members are nominated by the trade associations.

Current Membership

(Updated: May 2024).

Terms of Reference

To advise and assist the Devolved Administrations of GB by:

1. Helping to compile information on the supply and demand of timber and forest products in Great Britain and, where appropriate, for England, Scotland, Wales or the United Kingdom
2. Assessing the need for information on any aspect of the timber and forest product trade, or trade resources such as labour and machinery
3. Commenting on relevant surveys and data released by other sources
4. Interpreting information and structural factors affecting market development
5. Considering international trade statistics and the impact of the imported timber trade
6. Monitoring development and progress of research associated with these tasks, particularly the development of modelling tools and surveys 

Membership

Forest Research chairs the group and provides the secretariat. Members are drawn from names suggested by industry organisations and the Devolved Administrations of GB on the basis of their expertise in particular sub-sectors relevant to the work programme. Ultimate responsibility for appointment rests with Forest Research on behalf of the Devolved Administrations. Membership is normally for three years (renewable) but experts may also be invited on an ad hoc basis for particular work. The group may set up and oversee time bound working groups as and when required.     

Conflicts of Interest

Members are required to declare relevant outside interest prior to taking up an appointment with the group and when an additional potential conflict of interest arises in relation to particular business. Members of the group have agreed to the following:

• You must declare to the Chairman any personal or business interest which may, or may be perceived (by a reasonable member of the public) to influence your judgement in performing your functions and obligations as a member of the Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics. These interests include (without limitation), personal direct and indirect pecuniary interests, and, any such interests of your close family members and/or of people living in the same household as you or as your close family members.
• You must inform the Chairman in advance of any new appointments that may impinge on your performance of your functions and obligations under this Agreement.
• It will be your responsibility to withdraw from any discussions where you have any interests that may, or may be perceived to, influence your judgement.
• All information on potential conflicts of interest will be held by the Chairman’s Office and could be disclosed to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (2000). In entering in to this agreement and accepting your position on this group you thereby consent to this disclosure.

Competition Act 1998

Members are required to comply with the Competition Act 1998.  They should therefore not discuss:

• sale/purchase prices of products or components;
• the setting of trading conditions on particular suppliers/customers;
• stock levels/policies or proposed levels of production of goods or components;
• details of any tenders or contracts they are pricing for or intend to price for.

Code of Practice for Statistics

Members are required to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics. In particular, access to Official Statistics in advance of publication will be provided solely for quality assurance purposes and the statistics must not be shared or discussed with others without prior approval of Forestry Research’s Lead Statistician.

The main elements of Quality Assurance are to:

• ‘sense check’ the estimates;
• ensure assumptions and limitations inherent in the estimates are clearly stated or referenced;
• ensure important contextual information is stated or referenced.

It is an inevitable consequence of compliance with the Code of Practice that members undertaking Quality Assurance are acting in their subject expertise role and not as representatives of their employers.